Sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean
by sherlockianfangirl
Summary: Finally! The sequel is released! Again, T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**YAY SEQUEL! Enjoy :)**

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The sun shone bright against the pristine waters of the Caribbean and on the deck of the Black Pearl. Will clashed swords with Annabelle, who was getting practice. Elizabeth gasped and Jay flinched as they watched them collide swords. Jack turns the wheel to steer the ship. After riding the sealine for a while, Jack gasped, "There's another ship!"

The crew all groups together at the deck of the ship. There is a light wooden ship with white and red sails approaching The Black Pearl. Annabelle and Jay run to the side edge of the ship. The ship soon gets close enough to see the crew of the other ship. Only three people stand on board. One girl stood near the wheel, dressed in a dress shirt and tan pants with a large hat atop her head. Two other people, dressed in pirate's clothes, were pushing corpses off of the deck. Annabelle wondered aloud, "What are they doing here?"

Jay replies, "I don't know... but I'd rather not find out."

The girl steering the ship looks at the Black Pearl and grabs a bow and arrow. She wraps a piece of paper on the arrow and draws back her bow. The arrow spins across the waters between the two ships. Phoenix comes behind the group with Marigold and says, "What's everyone looking-"

Marigold screams, "LOOK OUT!"

Phoenix yelps and falls to the ground. The arrow flies through his hair and sticks itself in the mast. The entire group stares at it, except Phoenix, who says, "What. In. The World. Was-"

Annabelle says firmly, "Phoenix, be quiet."

"But-"

Jay says, "Does she need to repeat herself? You almost got killed by an arrow, so if I were you, I wouldn't get too snappy."

Phoenix gives Jay an angry look. Annabelle grabs the arrow and pulls out of the mast. She carefully removes the paper from the arrow. She reads aloud, "May the people by the names of Annabelle, Phoenix, and..."

Phoenix winces. Annabelle continues, "...Hayley please come aboard our ship. Come or we will come."

Jay puts his hand on Annabelle's shoulder and whispers, "Don't worry. I'll come with you."

Annabelle smiles at him weakly and looks toward the lifeboat. Annabelle then takes a deep breath and says, "Let's go." Phoenix stood up and walked to the boat. Annabelle walks up to the boat. Jay walks behind her. Phoenix climbed aboard and the others followed.

"Annabelle! Phoenix! You get back here! These are complete strangers and we don't know if they're safe or-"

"Mom. Calm down. We'll be fine. We'll come back, okay? Love you."

The ship sailed away from the Black Pearl and into the open sea. Phoenix mutters in a monotone voice, "Thank you, Marigold, for saving my life..."

Annabelle raises her eyebrows in surprise, "Phoenix, are you okay...?"

"Yeah, Marigold-"

"Who is Marigold?"

"My conscience."

"What?"

"Never mind. You wouldn't understand."

Annabelle raises her eyebrows again and looks to Jay for comfort and answers. Jay gives a confused look and shrugs. They finally get to the ship after a couple minutes of riding in silence. A girl looks down at the small boat and smiles. The girl steering screams, "Ahoy there!"

A rope falls down to the ship. Phoenix grabs on to the rope and starts to climb up. Jay picks Annabelle up and starts to levitate up to the ship's deck. The girl steering looks at the group and says, "Well, hello there."

She holds out her hand and says, "The name is Ashley. I'd prefer Ash. I was informed by the royals that you have stole something of precious value. Which one of you is Hayley...?"

Jay says, "I'm-"

"Oh! I didn't know Hayley was a boy's name."

Annabelle and Phoenix both laugh. Jay's cheeks flush red out of anger and embarrassment, "NO! I'M REPRESENTING HAYLEY! ...Hayley is dead..."

"Oh... well, then! I'm so sorry! For your loss and for calling you a girl."

Ash flashes a smile. Jay scowls. Annabelle smiles and rubs her hand across his back. Jay looks to Annabelle for comfort. Annabelle smiles and looks to Ash, "I'm sorry, but we don't have the money with us. And it wasn't really that valuable."  
Ash says, "Apparently, your friend didn't tell you the amount of money she had stole. Because according to the royal guards, she had stole more than at least a couple hundred shillings."

The group goes silent. Finally, Jay says, "Well, she really was a pirate..."

Phoenix growls and looks to Jay, "Don't call her a _pirate_."

"Why not?"

"She was not a pirate."

"Hayley stole a couple hundred shillings. I'm pretty sure that qualifies her as a-"  
Phoenix screams in rage and tackles Jay. Annabelle screams, "Phoenix!"  
Ash looks at Annabelle uncomfortably and says, "Does this normally happen on your ship?!"

Annabelle shakes her head furiously and tries to throw Phoenix off of Jay. Ash shrugs and screams, "MY BET'S ON THE SORCERER!"

The two crewmates say, "Ash!"

"What?! This is the most fun I've had in a couple days!"

Ash rolls her eyes and says, "Fine."

Ash pulls the pistol out of her pocket and says, "All three of you stop fighting! Unless you want a nice hole square between your eyes."

The three stop fighting and get in a horizontal line.

"Now. This is my ship and I am captain. There will be no fighting between crew members. Is that clear?"

All three say simultaneously, "Yes, ma'am."

Ash looks at Annabelle and says, "Now, you will take me to your ship and I shall take the money which you have stolen from the royalty."  
Annabelle asks, "Do you work for the king?"

"No, but I was hired by them. I am a professional assassin who works for a business-"

A man behind Ash says, "She must have been taught very well. She killed almost our entire crew."

Ash whips around and says, "Lucas. You mean _my _entire crew. You aren't exactly captain of this ship. Secondly," Ash turns around to look at the three, "I was trained by an expert at his craft and he was about my age. Unfortunately, he was killed by one of the targets. He ended up killing his hirer. Someone by the name of Adam."

Annabelle's eyes widen and she asks, "Who was your trainer?!"

"...A person by the name of David..."

Annabelle gasps and falls to the ground. Jay catches her. Annabelle's head starts pounding as she hears David's maniacal laughter and sees Adam's corpse sprawled across the floor. Ash says, "Is she okay?!"  
Annabelle looks up and growls at Ash, "Your trainer was a monster."

Ash says, "Well... I'm sorry for what he did to mentally scar you, but-"

"He tried to kill my friend."  
"Is this the friend that is dead or..."  
"DOES THAT EVEN MATTER?! I STILL HAVE THE NIGHTMARES!"  
Annabelle breaks down. Jay looks beyond the ship to see a tentacle coming out of the water. Jay says, "We've got company..."

Everyone looks to where Jay is looking. Ash says, "Oh. No."

The tentacle wraps itself around the mast and pulls it out of the ship. The tentacle then takes the broken-off mast and smashes it on the ship. Everyone screams in a panic. The mast crashes through the middle of the ship, breaking it in half. The crew gathers on one half of the ship as they watch the other sink down to the bottom of Davy Jones' Locker.

"Seriously?!" Ash screamed. "I just got this ship!"

"I think staying alive is more important right now!" Josi shouted.

"But the ship was so beautiful! I hadn't even gone battle with it yet!"

"Well, you are now!" Jay told her.

"AND I'M SUPPOSED TO KNOW HOW TO BATTLE A KRAKEN?!"

Jay groans and makes a force field around the crew. The Kraken smashes its tentacles against the force field. Jay screams in pain and falls to the ground. The force field shatters as if it were glass. Annabelle rushes to Jay's aid, but one of the Kraken's tentacles grabs Annabelle and picks her up. Annabelle screams, "JAY!"

He looks up to her in panic.

He tries flying up to her, but another one of the Kraken's tentacles smashes Jay midair. Jay falls to the ground. Phoenix helps Jay up and asks, "Are you okay?"

The Kraken swings Annabelle counter-clockwise. It then throws its tentacle back and throws Annabelle into the air. Annabelle screams at the top of her lungs, "JAYYYYYYYY!"

Jay tries flying toward Annabelle again, but another tentacle grabs him and throws him onto the deck. He gets up and looks to where Annabelle was, but couldn't see her.

Jay looks to Phoenix with an angry look, tears in his eyes, "Well, I'm not okay anymore!"

The Kraken then picks up Josi and Phoenix and throws them across the sea. Jay tries flying, but falls to the ground. The Kraken starts to swim away. Jay screams, "COME ON, YOU COWARD! ARE YOU TOO SCARED TO TAKE ME ON-"

Jay starts to cough and a drop of blood falls to the ground. Ash screams, "You coward of a kraken! You take my crew and my ship, then leave without a fight!"

The Kraken turns and starts to swim back to the ship. Lucas says, "So, what exactly is our plan now that we've got the monster chasing after us?"

Jay shrugs. Ash runs to the downstairs. Lucas says, "Seriously, Ash. Are you taking shelter?!"

Ash struggles to get back up the stairs. Jay asks, "What are you doing?"

"Carrying- up- a cannon!"

Jay and Lucas stare at her wide-eyed. Ash prepares the cannon and fires a cannonball straight at the Kraken. It blows a hole into one of the tentacles. The Kraken then looks at them with a look of sympathy, like it almost wanted to spare their lives because they were so pathetic, and advances towards the ship.

"Now what?!" Lucas screamed.

"I don't know! I normally leave all the weapons at the front of the ship which we now don't have!"

Jay clears his throat.

"What." Ash and Lucas say simultaneously.

"I'm a sorcerer," he informs them.

"Yes, thank you for telling us. We didn't notice," Ash says sarcastically. "Now help us think of a weapon we could use to defeat the Kraken!"

"I am my _own_ weapon!" Jay shouts at them.

Lucas and Ash freeze for a moment. "Oh right… Go ahead, then."

Jay produces a ball of energy and throws it at the Kraken. The Kraken stops, momentarily confused. Then it's eyes focus on the ship again and it growls angrily.

"I think you just made it angrier…" Lucas points out.

Jay shoots a look at Lucas.

"GO GO GO GO GO!" Ash shouts. The crew rushes to the side of the ship. They almost reach the other side when the Kraken picks up their boat, and casts it into the far sea.

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**...**

**wups ;)**


	2. Chapter 2

**thanks to all the reviewers!**

**Katniss fangirl: we're not sorry :)**

**princessariellover876: thx**

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The waves crashed quietly on the shore of the island. Annabelle's eyes fluttered open. Her head throbbed while she picked herself off of the sand. She looked around. Phoenix and that other girl, Josi, were still laying on the shore of the beach. Soon enough, they woke up.

"Where are we?" Phoenix asked.

"Some island," Josi replied.

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "No, really?"

"Where is everyone else...? Where's Jay?!" Annabelle asked worriedly.

"They weren't thrown this way. For all we know, they could be dead." Phoenix explained.

"No! No no no no. They- they can't be," Annabelle choked. Tears started welling in her eyes. "I don't think I could take it if... I couldn't handle it if... They have to be alive!"

"I know that this could be hard," Phoenix said as he walked over to Annabelle. He put his hand on her shoulder. "I know it would be hard for you to stand if he was dead. I know that would be the end of you. It's hard to lose someone you love. But remember, I-" he paused to take a deep breath. "I know how that feels."

Annabelle threw her arms around her brother. "But I still want them to be alive."

"There's still a chance that they survived. And you'll know. If they were dead, you'd feel it. Inside."

Annabelle looked up at her brother, tears shining on her face, and nodded. "He's still alive."

"So you're okay?"

Annabelle nodded. "I think so."

"So you guys aren't like... a couple, are you?" Josi asked.

"Oh, no. Anna's my sister," Phoenix explained.

Josi nodded. "You're a sweet brother. Comforting your sister like that. Are her and Jay-?"

"Yeah. They're really close."

"...I'm sorry about Hayley-"

Phoenix balls his fists. Josi widens her eyes and starts backing away. Marigold slaps Phoenix in the back of the head and says, "Be nice."

Phoenix takes a deep breath and says, "It's okay.

Josi smiled. Phoenix smiled back. _Maybe... _He thought. Then he shook his head. _She probably has a boyfriend already. _He turned his head to look at her.

"You know, you could ask her," Marigold said.

Phoenix whirled around. "Don't. Do. That."

"I mean it. Go ask her." Marigold pushed him toward where Josi was sitting. He scratched the back of his head nervously. "So... do you have a boyfriend?"

Josi smiled. "Nope."

"Um... do you have a girlfriend? Which is fine, by the way."

Marigold put her hand on her face and says, "Phoenix...

"I know it's fine."

"So you've got a girlfriend?"

"No! I'm _single_. _Single_."

"Right." Phoenix turned to walk away. He walked over to Annabelle, who was trying not to laugh.

Annabelle does a horrible Phoenix impression, "It's okay! Girlfriends are great! How about you be mine?"

Phoenix's cheeks grow red and he says, "Shut it."

Josi says, "Well, if you two are done over there, I think we should find some means for shelter."

Annabelle says urgently, "Wait, but we need to get back to the rest of the crew!"

Josi looks to the horizon and says, "The sun's setting. We must have been unconscious for a while. At any rate, we might be on this island for a while before we can make any sustainable raft to carry three people. So, I'd start to build a shelter."

Phoenix asks, "Why do we need a shelter anyway?"

Josi looks to the side and widens her eyes. Annabelle says, "Josi?"

Josi stares to the side for a couple more seconds and then responds, "Phoenix, you of all people should know that, since you were the leader of your runaway team."

Annabelle says, "Wait, how did you know that we were runaways?"

Josi ignores Annabelle and climbs up a palm tree. She then rips some leaves off the tree and throws them to the ground. She slides down the tree and picks up the leaves. She looks to Annabelle and Phoenix and says,  
"Well, can you both get me some wood? We're going to need a fire for the night."

Annabelle and Phoenix both run into the jungle. They return thirty minutes later with hands filled with firewood. Josi looks at the two and smiles at Phoenix.

Josi says, "You guys made it back just in time! I finished with the roof."

Annabelle and Phoenix both drop the wood piles under the roof and look up to see a roof made out of dozens of leaves that look as if they were woven together and tied to four trees with jungle vines. Phoenix says, "Wow. This took you thirty minutes?"

Josi smiles and says, "Well, I had some help."

Phoenix gives a questioning look at Josi. Marigold smiles. Phoenix says, "Marigold, what did you do?"

Annabelle says, "Okay, I'm officially done with you two. I'm going to bed."

Phoenix says, "Fine."

Annabelle walks to a pile of leaves and says, "Is this a bed?"

Josi nods. Annabelle sighs and then crawls into the pile of leaves. She covers her head with a large palm tree leaf. Josi smiles until Annabelle covers her head. Josi grabs Phoenix's arm and pulls him in the jungle. Phoenix says, "What in-"

Josi whispers, "How did you know about Marigold?"

Phoenix says, "She's my conscience!"

Josi widens her eyes and says, "No."

Phoenix says, "Yeah, she is! I would kind of know!"

Josi says, "No, she's _my _conscience."

Marigold says, "I AM BOTH OF YOUR CONSCIENCES!"

Josi gasps. Phoenix says, "Wait, what?!"

Marigold sighs, "I'm disappointed in you, Josi. You should know this!"

Phoenix asks, "And I shouldn't know this?"

Marigold says, "Well, do you know?"

Phoenix bites his lip and looks to the ground. Marigold says, "Yeah, I didn't think so."

Josi says, "So, every time you were with me, you weren't with Phoenix. Every time you were with him, you weren't with me?"

Marigold nods and says, "Well, that wasn't too hard to figure out, was it? And since I'm _both_ of your consciences, I can get inside your heads. I know about both of your, shall we say, _feelings _toward each other..."

Josi makes a look of disgust, "I can't believe I'm being set up by my own conscience!"

Phoenix says, "Feelings?! I'd rather die in Hayley's place than be with this... person!"

Marigold gives a look of shock, "I KNOW YOUR TRUE FEELINGS! Both of you are just lying to yourselves!"

Josi gives a look of embarrassment, "Marigold, please stop."

Phoenix gives a look of anger toward Marigold, "I can't believe you think that I fancy this... _disgusting _person! With her red-brown hair and her shimmering green eyes... Disgusting!"  
Marigold rolls her eyes, "You both know it's love."

Josi gasps and shoves Marigold. "I'D RATHER DIE!"

Josi storms off to the shelter, her cheeks flaming red and tears forming in her eyes. Phoenix glances at Josi as she walks away. Marigold smiles and says, "Disgusting."

Phoenix rolls his eyes and says, "You know I can't go back to the shelter now, right?"

Marigold nods, "You might as well have your will in your hand."

Phoenix starts to walk to a tree. Marigold says, "She's putting up a tougher front then she means to. You know that, right?"

"Why would she do that?"

"She used to have a love of her life. She was so sure that he was 'the one'. Then, he had a job and got killed by someone... You especially might know this person is."

"Really? Who might this person be?"

Marigold smiles and says, "David."

Phoenix screams, "WHAT," and falls off the tree.

Phoenix says, "MARIGOLD, YOU SET ME UP WITH THE GIRLFRIEND OF THE PERSON I KILLED."

Marigold says, "Well, at least she's attractive..."

Phoenix falls to the dirt ground. Marigold says, "I guess I'll leave you here to sleep..."

Phoenix falls asleep. _Phoenix kills David. He drags David's corpse to a hole and throws him in. He grabs a shovel and starts piling dirt on top of David. Phoenix looks up when finished to see Josi in tears. Josi screams, "YOU KILLED HIM, YOU MONSTER!"_

_David arises from the dirt and wraps his cold hands around Phoenix's neck. He whispers in Phoenix's ear, "This is not my grave, Phoenix. This... is yours." _

_David throws Phoenix into the grave and starts piling dirt on top of him. Phoenix musters up the strength to scream, "Josi! Help me!"_

_Josi smiles cruelly and kicks some dirt into Phoenix's mouth. Josi whispers, "Good night."_


	3. Chapter 3

Ash opens her eyes and stands up. Her feet start to sway back and forth. She sees that she's on a floating piece of the boat. She curses under her breath and kicks Lucas in the face.

"GET UP!" she growls.

Lucas groans and rubs his eyes. Lucas widens his eyes and screams, "I'M BLEEDING!"

"Oh, man up. Or at least _boy_ up."

"I 'FINK I BROKE A TOOF!"

Ash helps Lucas up and punches him in the face. Ash screams, "MY SHIP BROKE!"

Ash looks to her other side and sees that Jay is not there. She looks into the ocean and sees Jay frantically levitating over the ocean. Ash screams, "MAGIC MAN! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SHIP?"

Jay screams, "ISN'T IT OBVIOUS!"

Jay levitates over there and says, "Ash, your ship was destroyed by the Kraken. He apparently wasn't hungry, so he left us to die."

Ash says, "Well, I'd like a new ship please."

"I can't help you on that."

"Why not?! Why can't you just summon it with your magical powers or something?!"

"One, that would take years of training-"

"You need training for magic?"

"Yes, many of us sorcerers go to schools to learn how to use magic. However, my parents couldn't send me there, because of... family emergencies."

Ash rolls her eyes, "What's your other excuse?"

"I don't make up excuses."

Lucas holds his hand against his cheek and asks, "Does anyone have any cloth-"

Jay and Ash both look at Lucas and say, "No. Be quiet."

Lucas rolls his eyes and rips off his sleeve. He then dips in the water and sticks a part of the sleeve in his mouth to absorb the blood. Jay says, "Anyway, we need to get to the rest of the group."

Ash says, "Why? So you can meet up with your _girlfriend_?"

Jay growls, "She's much more than just a _girlfriend_."

"Well, you can tell us about your love life while we're trying to swim over to that island."

"Yeah, like _you've_ ever found the love of your life. I don't think that _anyone_ would ever be able to put up with such an obnoxious, _rude_, _**terrible**_ person."

Ash scowls, "I don't need love. I'm an assassin. No one will ever love me. Love is for the _weak_."

"Remember that when you're alone and needing someone to care."

"No one will ever care." A tear starts to form in Ash's eye. "I don't _want_ anyone to care. _Love_ doesn't mean anything. It's meaningless to me..."

Jay stares into Ash's eyes with a cold look. "_Remember_ what you are saying this very day when you are alone in a home with nothing but the cold wind as your company. Remember this when you have no one to comfort you, no one to help you, _no one to love you_."

Ash and Jay stand in silence, until Ash says, "I will remember this. But I won't remember with regrets. I will remember with the fact that no one wants to care about me. _No_ one wants to love me. I am dangerous. I kill for the joy of it... And I suggest if you want to find your love, you will drop this matter."

"I'll find her no matter what. Do what you want. I'm going to find the rest of my crew whether you like it or not. That's how it's going to be in the end. I will have my friends, and you'll be alone. Forever."

Ash punches Jay across the face. "I may not have friends, but I have the freedom to live my own life."

"Bloody good captain you are. Here's your two crew members, the only people you have with you right now, and here's our condition now. Both punched across the face. Thanks for that, by the way."

"You're welcome."

Ash walks away from the two and stands at the edge of the raft. She holds her arms out and says, "Jay, if you wish to be rid of me, push me off this raft. You have deemed me unworthy of being captain. I cannot keep swimming forever and the only way that I will leave this raft is by death. Push me. Kill me now and rid me of this _terrible _life that I am living."

"I'm not going to push you off this raft. I'll give you a lesson. Many many captains are controlling and harsh. You don't have to be. It was good to have Captain Jack, even though he might not be the smartest man alive, he didn't push us around unreasonably. Now, I'm going to show you how to be one of those great captains that crew members like. I won't push you off the raft. You can stay on the raft and help us regroup with the others. I won't kill you."

Ash looks back with a look of confusion. "You refuse to kill me? After all of the things I have said. After all the things I have done. You refuse to kill me..."

Ash almost looks as if she had never been shown this kindness. She lowers her arms and tilts her head slightly.

"This is what it looks like when someone cares, Ash. Even if it's just a little tiny bit. This is what kindness looks like."

Ash sits down and looks to the floor. Jay and Lucas leave her in silence for a little while. The raft bobs above the water as the sun starts to slowly set on the horizon. Lucas looks at Ash and sits down next to her. He asks, "Are you okay?"

Ash says, "He cares..."

"Well, of course, he cares."

"Nobody ever cares."

"Can't someone care just because?"

"No, because no one cares."

"People ca-"

"No, they don't. If people cared, they wouldn't have left a little girl alone to raise herself. If people cared, they would put a couple shillings in her cup as she sat alone on the streets. If people cared, they would have asked why the little girl was crying in the alley. If _people cared_, they _would _have helped the girl find somewhere people _would _have the heart to 'care'."

Suddenly, Jay came up behind the two and puts his hand on Ash's shoulder. "If you think you're the only one who lived a rough childhood, you're very wrong. I know what it's like to be left alone. My mother left when my sister was young, then my father took my sister to look for her. They both died. My mother is dead now too. I was left alone on the streets. I had no one to care for me at all. Then, I… appeared on the Black Pearl and had the chance to start over. To live happy memories. There are more of us too. Phoenix and Annabelle ran away. They couldn't stand living at a house where they weren't cared for. Then, they met their real family on the Black Pearl. You don't always have to live a life of sorrow. You can start over like we did."

Ash stands up and says, "You don't understand. Once my job is over, I have to go back. I won't be able just to leave abruptly without finishing my job. The royalty will find and hang me. It's either leave and be hanged or stay and be miserable. This is just... another job..."

"You'll only be miserable because that's the only feeling you've felt. Enjoy the time here. Become friends with these people. You'll get to stay and be happy."

Lucas smiles and grabs Ash's hand. Ash looks at him with a confused look. Lucas lets go of Ash's hand and says, "I'm sorry. I'm not as good with comforting as Jay."

Lucas smiles. Ash smiles back. Jay rolls his eyes and walks away from the two.

Ash shakes her head and gives an angry look while stepping on Lucas's foot. Ash screams, "Alright, mateys, let's find the rest of our hearty crew."


	4. Chapter 4

**You know what? I'm so bored I'll give you guys this chapter too. :) Plus you guys seem to like the story :) Enjoy! **

* * *

"Wake up," Josi said as she shook Phoenix awake. The sky was a hazy pink yellow from the slowly rising sun. Phoenix opened his eyes.

"Good morning, Josi."

"Morning," Josi smiled as she woke up Annabelle.

Phoenix stands up and stretches. He looks around and says, "How did I get here? I thought I passed out over by a tree..."

Josi looked at him for a moment and then he rolled his eyes. "Marigold," they said simultaneously.

Marigold shrugs and says, "I couldn't just leave Phoenix there."

Phoenix says, "You left me when I was a runaway."

"That was a completely different story."

Josi asks, "How?"

"For one, Phoenix wasn't unconscious. And secondly, he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself at the time."

"He was just a kid."

"Yet he had the potential. If I had helped him, Phoenix would probably be dead by now. If I had helped him, he would be too scared of adventure and thrill."

Phoenix gives a nervous look. "I wouldn't...be… I could still take adventure and thrill!"

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"I don't know, that's not how it happened, so I don't know!"  
"I'm your conscience. I know."  
"Again with the whole conscience thing…"

Annabelle spoke up. "Guys. Who in the bloody world is Marigold?"

"I told you. She's my conscience. And Josi's."

"But that doesn't make any-"

"I know. But we just have to deal with it. Okay?"

"...Okay. But...is she like… invisible or something?"

"No, she's right here." Phoenix points to a space of air right beside him.

"Okay… Um… There's nothing there."  
"Maybe only Josi and I can see her."

Annabelle rolls her eyes. "No, _really_?"

"Who cares why you can't see Marigold or why she's both our conscience?" Josi says. "What matters now is how we're going to one: survive and two: find the others. Okay?"

Annabelle nods at 'find the others'. Josi pushes a hair out of her face. "We need to build a raft."

"Well, _thank you_, Captain Obvious," Annabelle starts. "The problem is, how are we going to build one?"

"Well, look around you. We've got all the materials we need."

"And how in the world are we going to get these trees down?"

Josi shrugs. "If you really want to meet your boyfriend again, you'll find a way."

"He is much more than _just_ a boyfriend."

"Then we better start building that raft."

Annabelle walks over to a tree. She looks around the ground and finds a sharp stone. She picks up the stone and starts trying to cut down the wood. Phoenix and Josi watch her curiously. Annabelle pauses in her work and looks at them. "Well, this is going to take _forever_ if I don't have some help! Come on!"

Phoenix and Josi rush over to the tree and look for sharp rocks. Once they find one for each of them, they start helping Annabelle cut through the wood.

Finally, the tree falls and Josi screams to get out of its path. The tree thuds to the ground and the three start cutting it into smaller pieces.

When they have all the pieces, they line them up. Phoenix wipes his brow. "Well, we got the structure done."  
Josi smiles. "This is my favorite part." Josi runs to a tree with a vine. She jumps on the vine and starts swinging it around. The vine snaps and Josi falls to the ground. Phoenix runs over to her.

"Are you okay?!" he asks urgently.

Josi nods. "We get to rip down the vines!"

Annabelle smiles and runs to a vine. She climbs up the vine and starts to swing it around. The vine snaps and Annabelle rolls as she falls to the ground. She stands up and brushes herself off, as if she had done this a million times.

"Whoa. I didn't know you were so good at vine-breaking," Phoenix smiles.

Annabelle smiles and rolls her eyes. Phoenix climbed up another vine and swung that one around. The vine snapped and Phoenix fell into a puddle of mud. Annabelle couldn't help but laugh. Phoenix got up swiftly and tried wiping off the mud. "I did it..."

They carried the vines with them back to the raft.

"Go clean yourself off in the water," Josi told Phoenix.

"Okay," he replied as he walked toward the edge of the sea. Josi and Annabelle tied the pieces of wood together as Phoenix rinsed the mud off his clothes. Once they were done, Josi headed back into the forest to get a big strong leaf and a couple sticks. She took some leftover vine and wove the sticks into a paddle shape. At the paddle, sticks formed a shape's perimeter, and Josi wove the leaf into the shape. She placed the paddle on top of the raft.  
"I'm tired," she said.  
Phoenix nodded. "We just built a boat. We're all a bit tired."

"Why don't we get some rest before we start looking for the others."

"But-" Annabelle started.

"Anna, we'll be able to search better when we have the energy."

"But-"

"Get some rest."

"I'm not tired!"

"Annabelle, you _need _to go to bed," Phoenix insists.

"I don't want or need to."

"Anna, if you don't-"

"Phoenix, I know the consequences for not going to sleep. Stop being the practical one for once."

"What?"

"Go to bed."

"If you're not going to sleep, then I'm not going to sleep."

"Phoenix. I am ready to sail across the world to find Jay. You don't have to comfort me by making the choices I am about to make. You want to go to bed. So do that."

"You're my sister. I want to look out for you."

"You don't have to. I can take care of myself."

"If you say so…" Phoenix walks into the shelter.

Annabelle sighs and looks out to the horizon. The day had gone by so quick when they were working so long. She looked as far as she could out to the sea and whispered, "_We're coming as fast as we can. Don't worry."_


	5. Chapter 5

Ash rips a board out of the raft.

"What in the bloody world are you doing?!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Ash says matter-of-factly.

"Destroying our raft!"

"I'm getting an oar, you empty-headed fool."

"Oh…"

Ash rolls her eyes. "Incompetent."

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to,"

Jay rolls his eyes and separates the two. "Both of you! Stop bickering like little children!"

"She started it!" Lucas whines.

"I don't care who started it! I'm finishing it!"

Ash and Lucas continued to fight. Ash digs her foot into Lucas's. Lucas groans.

"Can you just stop please?"

"Stop what?" Ash asks.

"The pain."

"Sorry, but I think the pain has been around much longer than I have!"

"You know what I mean."

"If you stop being empty-headed."

"I'm sorry, but that's been a problem since birth, soooo…"

Ash chuckles. Lucas smiles and puts his arm around Ash. She gives him a confused look and slaps his arm off.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asks. "i thought we were having fun as friends…"

"Yes well that _thing_ that you just did did not feel like 'just friends'."

"Then how am I supposed to help?! Tell me that!"

"STOP!" Jay yelled. "I TOLD YOU TO STOP FIGHTING! YOU DIDN'T LISTEN! IF YOU KEEP FIGHTING, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO SURVIVE! ASH, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A CAPTAIN! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CHARGE OF THINGS AND BE AT LEAST SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE. IF YOU'RE A CAPTAIN, YOU'RE NOT A VERY GOOD ONE, ARE YOU? YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN TO FIGHT ALL DAY! AND LUCAS, YOU'RE A CREW MEMBER! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW ORDERS AND NOT TALK BACK. IF THE UNWORTHY CAPTAIN STARTS A FIGHT, END IT. END IT RIGHT THERE. I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW IMMATURE YOU BOTH ARE!" He jumps into the water. "Call me when you two have made up."

Lucas turns back to face Ash and puts a dagger against her neck. "Listen, _friend_, if you want to keep your life, you'll pretend we're friends. If you don't want this to happen to you, you might even want to pretend to be even more than friends."

Ash growls, "You'll never get away with this, you cruel, mindless-"

Lucas looks up and pushes his lips against Ash's. Jay pops his head up from the water. He widens his eyes. "Oh my-" he says before he dives back down into the water.

Lucas breaks away and says, "Well, Ash, I believe I just did."

"I won't let you get away with this!"

Lucas takes the dagger and makes a cut in her pointer finger. Ash yelps while Lucas hurriedly puts his dagger away. Jay lifts himself out of the water and gets back onto the raft.

"What's wrong, Ash?" He asks.

Ash hesitates. Lucas gives her a look. Ash took a quick look at his dagger again, then said, "I- uh, I cut my finger on a sharp piece of wood."

"Rip a piece of your sleeve and use it as a bandage to stop the blood," Jay tells Lucas.

Lucas flashes a smile. "Don't worry, Jay. _I'll _help Ash. You can keep a lookout."

Jay gives a concerned look. "Okay…"  
Ash gives him a look that says, 'Help me'.

Jay looks back at her with a look that says, 'Sorry,'. He levitates himself up so he can see farther out into the sea.

Lucas pats Ash on the head. "Good girl."

"I'm not your pet," Ash growls.

"You may not be a do, but you sure do act like a mutt."

"You're no better than I, mutt."

Ash makes to kick Lucas, but Lucas draws his dagger lightning-fast and puts the blade tip to Ash's heart. "Ah ah ah. I wouldn't go about doing that now, Ash. You see, I'm the new gamemaker. And the rules are about to change."

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter, but we wanted to leave it with that ending :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ok the last one was SUPER short so here you go :) This one's also less than 1000 words, but its almost there.**

* * *

"Can we please go now?"

"Annabelle, give us five more minutes."

"But-"

"No buts."

"PHOENIX!"

Phoenix went silent and stared at Annabelle.

"Remember when Hayley went missing and you wouldn't sleep until you found her? That's what it's like now. So get up. We're leaving whether you like it or not."

"Annabelle-"

"Phoenix. I. Am. Leaving. _Now_."

Phoenix stares as she walks up to the raft and pushes it into the waters. She grabs an oar and jumps on. She looks back at the island to see Phoenix and Josi running toward the raft. She whispers, "5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

As she finishes the countdown, Phoenix and Josi both jump aboard the raft. "Wow... you must really need... to get back to Jay..." Josi breathlessly states, taking long pauses in between.

Annabelle rolls her eyes. "What was your first clue?"

Phoenix grabs an oar off the raft and starts pushing across the sparkling waters. Annabelle pushes the other oar across the water, seemingly faster than Phoenix. Josi pulls out a telescope and starts looking out into the horizon. After a couple minutes, Phoenix leans slightly over to Annabelle and whispers softly, "I'm only trying to protect you, Anna."

"What exactly are you protecting me from, Phoenix?" Annabelle questions curiously, an inquiring look upon her face.

"I am protecting you from Jay-"

"From Jay?! Are you bloody mad, protecting me from the man I love?!"

"I'm not protecting you from _him_, necessarily. I'm protecting you from the heartbreak. Our lives are filled with treacheries and dangers around every corner. Exactly like... Hayley, you never know when you could die."

"...Nothing like that will happen. And she was killed by a villain."

"Anna. You can never be sure in a world like this. I learned the hard way that relationships end in nothing but sadness-"

"Marriage does not end in sadness."

"You know what I mean. I'll just... protect both of you! From all of this heartbreak. What if Jay dies? What if _you_ die? I don't want either of you to endure any of this. Something could happen that none of us can change."

"It's time you know that that is a chance I am willing to take. And I am sure that if this were me giving you this bloody nonsense and Hayley was still alive, you'd say the same."

Silence comes across the two, until Annabelle finally says, "Josi, do you see anything?"

Josi shakes her head sadly and puts the telescope away. "We should probably keep rowing North," Phoenix decides.

Annabelle growls and pushes against the waters. She looks down to see a shimmering fin swimming through the water and gasps. "Phoenix, Josi! Food!" Annabelle excitedly squeals.

Phoenix and Josi look below the raft to see where Annabelle is looking. Phoenix gives a mesmerized look as the fin reveals a human girl torso swimming up to the raft. "That's no fish, Annabelle."

A pair of almost angelic-like hands settle on the raft and pushes on the raft to pull itself up. A girl torso with long blonde hair settling over her perfect shoulders slowly came up from the water. Phoenix takes a shaky breath as if it was the first breath of life that had came to him. Annabelle greets, "Hello...?"

The girl smiles and puts her hand on Phoenix's cheek. She slowly caresses his cheek and says, "Well, hello. My name is Acacia, but you can call me yours."

Phoenix lets out a dreamy sigh and says shakily yet enthusiastically, "Okay!"

Acacia smiles. Josi slaps Acacia's hand off of the Phoenix's chin. "Okay! That's enough of that, little _Miss Mermaid_. We have to get going, so goodbye."

Acacia grabs Phoenix by the shirt. "But we were having so much fun..." Acacia looks at Phoenix with a pouty lip and says, "Don't you want me to stay?"

Phoenix nods dopily and says, "I want her to stay!"

Acacia smiles and leans closer toward Phoenix, almost as if to kiss him. Annabelle hits Acacia in the face with an oar and Josi pulls Phoenix away from the edge of the raft. Acacia hisses and tries grabbing Phoenix. Josi looks at Phoenix helplessly and slaps him across the face. "Phoenix! SNAP out of it! Please!"

Acacia's hand wraps around Phoenix's ankle and pulls on him. Josi tries to pull him back, but he slips out of her hand and Phoenix gets pulled underwater. Josi and Annabelle scream, "No!"

Annabelle gives her oar to Josi and says, "If I don't make it back alive, tell Jay I loved him."

Annabelle plunges into the water before Josi can respond. She sees the mermaid pulling Phoenix into a dimly lit cavern. Annabelle feels her breath escaping her and the cold of the water embracing her tightly. She swims up to take another breath and plunges back in. Annabelle thinks to herself, _Jay, I will be alive to find you. I will fight death with my bare hands if I have to. I need to feel the warmth of your embrace again._

Annabelle swims weakly to the cavern, as if her very soul was being slowly sucked away from her. Then, the cavern's currents pull her in. She takes a shaky breath. She observes the cavern to see that the walls are made of human bones and rock. Then, she hears Acacia cackle, "Why, hello there! I didn't think you'd show up! You came just in time for the _party_!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry! I wasnt able to update yesterday. I'll give you another chapter after this. I combined these chapters cuz they're short... :( I promise we'll write longer chapters soon! :) i hope... :/**

* * *

The sun starts to sink below the almost pitch-black waters. Jay walks over to Ash. "How's your cut?" He asks.

Ash nods. "It's fine."

"Are you sure? You looked kind of scared."

"Yes... um… it looked like a very bad cut, but it's not as big."

Jay gives her a confused look. "Well, I think you both better get to bed."

Lucas smiles. "Okay."

Jay lies down, closes his eyes, and drifts off to sleep.

"Smart move," Lucas says.

"I didn't do it for _your_ sake," Ash growls, "I could reveal-"

"Then you'd be dead."

"I'll find the courage to take that risk."

"No, you won't."

"I will."

"I know people like you. You put on a brave front and a smile that's bright enough to fool. But inside, you're just as scared as the rest of them. Maybe even more. One day, you'll be caught off your guard. You. Will. Fall."

"...I'm glad you think my smile is pretty!"

"You know that's not what I meant."

"And I won't be the one caught off guard. You're not fast enough to catch me off."

"I may not be fast enough, but I am cunning enough."

Ash rolls her eyes. "Yes, you must be cunning if you're telling your plan to _this _captain, who, I'll say again, can easily reveal your secret."

Lucas looks up and grabs Ash's hand. He spins her around and embraces her.

"Scaredy-cat," Ash taunts.

Lucas then spins Ash around slowly. Ash rolls her eyes. "If you're going to make us look like we're in love, at least do it right." Ash releases herself from the embrace and grabs Lucas's hand. She spins herself around and pulls herself back to Lucas. Ash presses her lips against Lucas's and closes her eyes. Lucas wraps her arms around her. Ash breaks away from the kiss and pushes Lucas away. Lucas blinks for a couple of seconds.

"What. Was. That."

"I've been in fake relationships," Ash explains. "You have to work the part if you're an assassin."

"That… um… I'm going to sleep."

Ash smiles. "Speechless?"

Lucas scowls and lays down on the edge of the raft. Ash flashes a daring smile and pushes him off of the raft. Lucas gasps and falls into the freezing water. He grabs onto the raft and pulls himself up. He stands up and pulls his dagger out. "That's it!"

Ash places her finger carefully on the dagger. "Oh, Lucas. You've doomed yourself."

"What?"

"You see, if I get hurt every time I do something wrong, Jay is going to suspect something. You want us to act like a couple? Fine. But we need to act like we're in L-O-V-E. And this relationship better benefit _me_, or I'm breaking up with you."

"You cannot be serious."

Ash laughs. "I am! Oh, this is going to be fun!"

* * *

**I'll stuff some more into this super short chapter :)))))))**

* * *

The mermaid's voice rings throughout the cavern. "You'd be a pretty skeleton for my collection!"

Annabelle takes a sharp breath and tries to look for the mermaid. Then she hears a raspy voice. "Annabelle!" Annabelle whips around to see the mermaid choking Phoenix. "Annabelle, run! Run…" Phoenix screams. Then his body goes limp and his hands, that were trying to pull of the mermaids hands, fall to his sides.

"No!" Annabelle screams. She looks to the mermaid. "I'm going to kill you," she growls.

The mermaid throws Phoenix aside and gives a cruel smile while advancing towards Annabelle. Annabelle runs towards the mermaid. It pounces on her. One of Acacia's teeth cuts Annabelle's shoulder. Annabelle winces and spins around. Acacia gets thrown off of Annabelle. Annabelle runs toward the mermaid and cuts some of her hair.

"YOU CUT MY HAIR!" The mermaid screams.

"THAT ISN'T EVEN THE WORST THAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU!" Annabelle screams back.

Acacia growls and makes to pounce again. Annabelle dodges the mermaid and it hits the wall. The mermaid spins around, blood dripping down the side of her face. The mermaid swims toward Annabelle, who steps on the mermaid's fin and holds her dagger to it's neck.

"Any last words?" Annabelle asks, breathlessly.

The mermaid pulls out a conch shell and blows into it, though no sound comes out. Then she says, "I hope you rot."

Annabelle takes her foot of the mermaid's tail and sinks her dagger into the fin. Acacia yelps as Annabelle cuts the her tail off. Annabelle takes the tail and throws it to the other side of the cavern. She walks over to Phoenix and picks him up. Annabelle plunges back into the water and pulls Phoenix up. When she gets to the surface, she throws Phoenix onto the raft and climbs onto it herself. Josi gives a relieved smile. "I thought you had died!"

Annabelle nods. "You may want to check Phoenix's pulse, though."

Josi bites her lip and checks Phoenix's pulse. She gives a relieved sigh. "He's still breathing."

Annabelle sighs. Josi stands up. "What happened to the mermaid?"

"I cut off its tail. It should be dead by now."

"You could have just said, 'it's dead'."

Annabelle rolls her eyes and looks out into the horizon. The sun rises from above the waters and turns the sky to a light orange.

* * *

**Maybe I can fit a bit more... :)**

* * *

The sun shines bright on the raft and shines through the eyelids of Ash and Lucas. Jay levitates down to the raft and lightly kicks Ash's leg. Jay drowsily commands, "Wake up."  
Ash opens her eyes slowly and says, "Well, hello there, Jay. You look kind of tired. Do you need some rest?"

Jay shakes his head and says, "No, I just wanted to talk to you... About you and Lucas."

"Okay." Ash nods.

"What's with the sudden relationship?"

"Uhh... can I tell you a secret? You can't tell Lucas I told you this."

Jay nods. "You can tell me."

Suddenly, Lucas appears behind Ash and puts his arm on her shoulder. Lucas says, "Hey there, Jay!"

Jay lays down and closes his eyes. Lucas puts his arms around Ash's waist and says, "Ashy, are you feeling okay?"

Ash nods slowly with a confused look on her face. Lucas smiles. "Well, I hope you're feeling okay, sweetie."

Jay starts to breathe slower and more peacefully. Lucas pulls out his dagger and angrily growls, "Why did you almost tell him?"

Ash shrugs, "I thought you were asleep."

"So you were just going to tell him like that?"

"I didn't think you would-"

"You said you wouldn't spill. If this 'relationship' is gonna work out, hon, you have to stay true to your word." He ends in a sing-song voice.

Ash sighs. "Fine. I can't believe you're making me go through with this. I have a reputation too, you know."

"I better keep an eye on you. Don't. Tell. Him."

Jay drowsily says, "What are you both keeping from me?!"

Ash and Lucas both whip around to see Jay starting to stand up. Jay asks, "Do I have to repeat myself?! What are you hiding from me?"

Ash blurts out, "That-time-that-I-was-cut-it-was-actually-Lucas-who-did-it-on accident-but-we-wanted-to-be-such-a-good-couple-like-you-and-Annabelle-so-we-pretended-he-didn't-do-it."

Jay says, "Oh... well, that's not terrible. If it was just by accident. You both can still be a... cute couple."

Lucas says surprisedly, "Really?"

Jay nods. Lucas sighs, "Oh, thank you so much for this!"

Ash gives an uncomfortable smile. Jay says, "Well, I'm going back to sleep."

Ash says, "Okay! Have a nice sleep."

Jay falls back asleep. Lucas turns to Ash. "That was very close on your part."

Ash rolls her eyes. "So you think. I could've made that A LOT harder on you."

"Really?"

"I could've said you had proposed."

"Oh goodness no."

"I could've said we were having an anniversary."

"No."

"I could've said-"

"Message received, Ash."

Ash flashes a smile and says, "You're going to regret you did this."

"I already am."


	8. Chapter 8

**Oh look! What's happening on ****_The Black Pearl?_**

* * *

The waves collide against The Black Pearl as Elizabeth sobs while sitting on the stairs. Will rubs his hand on her back. "Elizabeth, everything is going to be fine."

Elizabeth sobs, "My very own children could be dead AND YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL ME IT'S GOING TO BE _FINE_?!"

"Think on the positive! They could just have taken to land or something."

"THAT'S EVEN WORSE! I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND THEY COULD BE FRIGHTENED TO DEATH!"

"Elizabeth! Our children have fought monsters even _ourselves_ couldn't be able to defeat."

"BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO HAYLEY!"

"They are perfectly capable of handling themselves. They aren't children anymore."

Elizabeth buries her face into Will's shoulder and starts to sob even louder. Will embraces Elizabeth tightly. Captain Jack bursts out of the captain's quarters and looks to the couple sadly, "I couldn't find them."

Will says, "We'll have to keep looking."

"How about we take a couple of minutes to relax?"

"My children have gone missing and you are asking me to relax... Something seems wrong with that statement."

"Okay, well, _I_ need a break."

Will scowls. Captain Jack sits down on the stair above Elizabeth and Will. Marigold appears behind Captain Jack and says, "Well, this looks like a sentimental moment..."

Marigold walks through them. Captain Jack shivers and Will says, "Did anyone feel a chill?"

Elizabeth gets her face out of Will's shoulder and nods, tears drying on her face. Marigold takes a bottle of rum and pours it on the deck. Will squints at the deck and asks, "Does some of the deck look wet to you?"

Both Elizabeth and Jack squint at the deck as Marigold finishes pouring the rum. Then, Marigold runs into the captain's quarter and grabs a lantern. She runs back to the rum spillage and throws the lantern at the puddle of rum. The puddles of rum spontaneously combust. Elizabeth screams and jumps. Captain Jack says, "MY SHIP! HOW DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN?!"

Will screams, "WELL, PUT IT OUT!"

Elizabeth says, "WAIT! I did this once! Maybe it's a message!"

Jack growls, "HOW EMPTY-HEADED IS- Wait! There is a message!"

A message written in fire reads, _Annabelle and Phoenix are safe. Don't worry, they are coming. Stay where you are-_

Elizabeth gasps after reading the message. Will says, "They're still alive..."

Jack says, "Well, of course they're alive..."

"All we have to do is stay here," Elizabeth says. "So we're staying _right_ here."

Will says, "Who could've done this?"

The group goes into silence. Will and Elizabeth looks to the hall where the guest room is. Captain Jack looks to where they're looking. They all say simultaneously, "Hayley..."

Marigold chuckles, "This, I have to see."

The four run down the hallway and into the guest room. They all look at Hayley's body, which looks now more like a doll than a dead body. Jack and Will pick her up and run out of the room. Marigold says frantically, "They can't seriously think-"

Elizabeth runs out of the room and screams, "WILL! JACK! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Elizabeth and Marigold run down the hall to see Will and Jack throw Hayley's body overboard. Elizabeth runs to the ledge and grabs Hayley's hand. Elizabeth asks, "What in the bloody world are you two doing?!"

Will explains, "We're throwing her body overboard."

"WHY?!"

Jack says, "Her ghost is haunting the body's remains."

"Plus, it's decomposing and it just… smells funny." Will adds.

Elizabeth says, "It would break Phoenix's heart if we do this!"

"Elizabeth, we have to let her go."

Elizabeth frowns sadly. Will grabs Elizabeth's hand. Elizabeth slowly lets go of Hayley's hand. Hayley's body falls into the water and starts to sink into the depths. Elizabeth lets out a sob. Will says calmly, "It'll be fine."

Elizabeth nods. She rests her head on Will's shoulder. "I hope they'll return soon."

Will nods. "Even if they don't, we'll be able to know if they're alive." He gestures to the place where the message had appeared.

Elizabeth smiles. "At least they're getting a chance to really prove to themselves they can survive on their own."

"I think they already did that when they ran away from the homes we set them at."

"True, true… But this time they're out at sea. No food-"

"Elizabeth. They are fine."

* * *

**I know I know short. We wanted to end it there. Sue us. (not really though)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Finally! A long chapter! :D**

**Dang that feels good :)**

**Also, I've been reading another fanfiction. And it's so good that I could definitely not wait a week for chapters to be posted. So if you want there to be quicker chapter posting, then as a review, tell us!**

* * *

Phoenix coughs as he sits up on the raft. "What… just… happened?"

Annabelle looks at him. "Nothing _just_ happened. You've been out longer than you think."

"Oh. Well then what happened whenever it happened?"  
"There was a mermaid, you went all googly-eyes, then it kidnapped you and tried to kill you. So I swam down there, killed the mermaid, rescued you, and swam back up."

Josi says, "Oh, now you just say 'killed it'."

Annabelle rolls her eyes.

Phoenix stared at her. "All that? You say it as if it was nothing."

"It did get to sink it's teeth into my shoulder at one point, but then I threw it at the wall."

"Well that's pleasant."  
Annabelle smiles. "Hey, it worked."

"Thanks, by the way."

"Anytime, brother."

Annabelle looks out to sea. She scans the area for any sign of the other group.

"See anything?" Josi asks.

"Nothing."

Josi sighs. "I hope we find them soon."

"So do I…"

"At least we're together, and not all alone," Phoenix points out.

Annabelle and Josi nod. Annabelle sighs. "Except-"

Josi groans. "Yes, we know your little _boyfriend_ isn't with us."

Phoenix puts his hand on Annabelle's shoulder. "We'll find them soon. Okay?"

Annabelle nods. Josi pulls out her telescope and screams, "I see something!"

Annabelle stands up quickly and swipes the telescope from Josi. "Give me that!"

Annabelle looks through the telescope to see a tiny raft with miniature people walking around. Annabelle squeals and starts jumping up and down. "Yes!" Annabelle screams.

Annabelle plunges into the water and starts to swim in the direction she saw the raft. The raft gets bigger and the people look closer. Annabelle screams, "Jay!"

The people look at her in confusion. Annabelle screams, "Jay, it's me!"

One of the people look at her and says, "Hello, Annabelle. You may not remember me, but I surely remember you," He turns to his other friends, "Take her as prisoner. Those people must be her friends Phoenix and Hayley."

Annabelle gasps, "It's you! The person on the island who thought Hayley was Calypso!"

The person sighs, "Yes, yes I am."

Annabelle tries to swim away, but two of the person's friends jump in after her and pull her onto the raft.

"PHOENIX!" Annabelle screams. "IT'S NOT THE OTHERS!"

The people tie a cloth around her mouth and Annabelle's screams become muffled. They tie her hands behind her back and start rowing the raft away.

Phoenix looks toward the raft. "Why are they rowing away…?" Phoenix grabs the telescope. "Row us closer," he says. They move their raft closer to the other raft. Phoenix looks through the telescope. "Oh no…"

"What is it?" Josi asks.

"We've seen those people before… they tied up Annabelle and me and thought that… Hayley… was Calypso. When we told them she wasn't, they started to attack us. So… to sum it up, these guys are bad news."

"You couldn't have just said 'these are bad people'?"

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should discuss a more important matter, like HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET HER BACK!?"

* * *

The raft moved further and further until it came to a stop at an island. The person pushed Annabelle off of the raft. Annabelle falls to the hard ground and groans in pain. The person unties her hands and slams her against a tree. Annabelle screams in pain and protest as the person ties her up to the tree and picks up a stone. The person says, "Good night," and hits her head with the rock. Everything goes black as Annabelle feels a warm sticky substance drip down her head.

* * *

**_big time skip_**

* * *

Jay levitates across the vast open seas, the cold night wind against him. His eyes burn and his body feels limp. Jay's head is pounding with thoughts about Annabelle. Jay thinks aloud, "I can't believe I actually miss her this much... If I can't even make it a couple months without her... How could I be able to break up with her? ...Nobody said I had to break up with her," Jay smiles. "Who says I ever have to leave her? She's the perfect girl for me. Absolutely perfect."

An island starts to appear in Jay's vision. He levitates so he is eye level with the island. He sees a group of men sprawled on the sand, sleeping. He then sees a woman with chestnut blonde hair covering her face tied up to a tree. He walks up to the woman slowly. He looks at the woman for a second and immediately thinks, _Why would they tie her up?_

He pushes the hair out of her face and sees Annabelle with dried blood on her face. Jay's voice cracks, "Annabelle."

Jay smiles, tears falling down his face. Jay caresses her face softly and cries. He then unties her and scoops her up. Jay levitates slowly, the wind rushing through Annabelle's hair. Annabelle's eyelids slowly open and she says drowsily, "Jay..."

Jay says, "Annabelle, we can talk in the morning. Right now, you need to get some-"

Annabelle embraces him and says, "I missed you so much, you have no idea! I thought I would never see you again. Never leave me like that ever again!"

Jay hugs her back and says, "I missed you too..."

Annabelle and Jay stay in the embrace for a while. Jay finally gets to the raft and puts Annabelle down. Jay then walks across the raft and sits on the ledge. Annabelle walks over to the ledge and sits next to Jay. She leans her head against Jay's shoulder and falls asleep as the sun starts to rise from the horizon. Jay starts to fall asleep, tilting his head on Annabelle's. Annabelle smiles. Ash slowly wakes up and stands up. She looks to Annabelle and Jay. She smiles. "Looks like we have another crewmate..."

Lucas wakes up and sits up. He sees Annabelle and Jay and makes a gagging sound. "It makes me want to throw up."

Ash groans, "Let him have his fun. He just got his Annabelle back."

"It's so disgusting."

"Said the person in the fake relationship."

Lucas rolls his eyes and takes out a telescope. He says, "I see an island in the distance."

"Maybe we should stock up on food there."

"That'd probably be smarter than your normal ideas."

Ash punches Lucas in the shoulder. Lucas goes to grab his dagger, but scowls as he remember Ash's 'conditions'. Ash smiles. Lucas turns away and says, "I think I need a swim."

Lucas plunges into the water and swims away from the raft. Annabelle looks at them with a confused look on her face and asks, "Are you sure you two are a real couple? Because it doesn't look like it."

Ash says, "We've moved past 'the puppy stage'."

"'The puppy stage'?"

"Where you get all lovey-dovey."

"Oh. Well, Jay and I-"

"I know that you and Jay are _way_ past that stage. Some of the puppy stage stays with good relationships."

"If you aren't in a good relationship, why would you even stay in it?"

Ash whispers, "I don't have the courage to break up with him."

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid..."

"Of what?"

"...Him."

Annabelle gives a surprised look at Ash. "Why would you be scared of your own boy-"

Lucas swims back to the raft and puts his arm around Ash. "Hey, honey! The water feels nice. You want to get in?"

Ash smiles at Lucas, "Sure, honey," Ash looks to Annabelle, smiling, "Annabelle and I were just talking about girl stuff. _Right, Annabelle_?"

"Um… well… yeah! Yes, we were."

Lucas gives a smile and takes his arm off of Ash. He plunges into the water and floats until Ash sighs and dives into the water. Ash swims to Lucas and whispers, "Annabelle doesn't suspect a thing."

Lucas says, "I hope she won't."

Ash swims away from Lucas and sees a gray fin swimming toward her. Ash says, "Lucas! I think I found a-"

The gray fin starts swimming straight toward her. It jumps in the air to reveal a shark with bloodshot eyes and layers of teeth. The shark lunges for Ash. Ash screams and goes under the shark. The shark quickly turns itself around and swims after Ash. Ash jumps on the raft and the shark follows her, throwing its upper half on to the raft. Jay and Annabelle both collide heads while standing up. Ash takes an oar and hits the shark over the head. The shark growls and tries to bite Annabelle's foot. Jay summons a bow and quiver of arrows. He shoots the arrows in both of the shark's eyes and then kicks it off the raft. The shark swims around and roars in pain. Lucas jumps on to the raft. The shark jumps back on. Annabelle grabs the oar and hits the shark across the face. The shark flies away from the raft at least twenty feet away. Annabelle screams, "Somebody grab another oar! We need to get away from this shark!"

Ash rips another board off of the raft and starts pushing it frantically against the water. She then whips the board across Lucas's face. Lucas goes unconscious. Ash smiles and says, "Whoops."

The raft eventually reaches the island and Ash breathlessly says, "Well, I do believe the worst is behind us."

A voice behind them says, "Wrong."


	10. Chapter 10

"Phoenix, it's been months. We haven't found her. What if-"

"Josi, we have to keep looking. I know there's a chance that we won't find her but if we just keep looking harder-"

Suddenly Phoenix stops talking. Marigold was sitting in front of him.

"What do you want, Marigold?" Phoenix asks.

Marigold doesn't respond.

"Marigold, we're trying to find Annabelle."

Marigold slowly raised her arm so it pointed t

"You mean… Annabelle's that way?"

Marigold nodded.

"Thanks, Marigold," Phoenix says.

Josi smiles, "Thanks."

Phoenix smiles and starts rowing the boat in the direction where Marigold had pointed. Josi says, "Finally, after all these months, we'll find Annabelle! Then, we can find Jay, Ash, and Lucas!"  
Phoenix mutters, "I wish you all could come on the Black Pearl with us."

"What did you say?"

"I just said that you could probably come with me- I mean, us on the Black Pearl."  
"YOU MEAN _the _Black Pearl?! The one-"

"Yes, _the _one."

"I've always been fascinated with the stories!"

"Yes... You know, umm... my father is Will Turner."

"Your father is _the_ William Turner?! That's so fascinating!"  
Phoenix smiles. "Yes, I guess it is."

Josi smiles. "So... isn't it exciting that we're going to find Annabelle?"

"Yes."

"I hope that we find where she is quickly."

Phoenix mutters, "I wouldn't mind if it took a little longer..."

"Huh?"

"Oh! Nothing."

"Oh, okay," Josi looks out into the horizon. "You know, as a kid, I always wondered what it would be like to captain a ship... I was an only child, but I would build a ship out of bed sheets and pillows. My parents were always good sports and played along, but I've always wanted to experience it for real."  
Phoenix shrugs, "I guess it'd be fun..."

"Well, seeing Ash, it kind of made me want to do it even more."

Phoenix visualizes Josi in pirate's clothing and a big hat. Phoenix smiles. Josi looks to Phoenix and smiles. "So, Phoenix, what's it like on the Black Pearl?"

"It's... okay... I like being with my parents since I wasn't with them as a child. Captain Jack is a little stranger than I thought but I've learned to live with it."

"I would _love_ to actually see the Black Pearl in person."

"Well, I could give you a tour once all of... _this_ is over."

Josi smiles, "I'd really like that."

Phoenix smiles. Josi says, "You know, you're a really sweet brother... I know that if I had a sibling who had been lost for this many months, I probably would've assumed that they had died."

"Well... I did once drive my... I mean, Hayley away. I went after her for two months. Considering that, this is just a little longer."  
"A little? It's been 5 months since Annabelle's disappearance!"

"...Being without Hayley and knowing that I was the one who drove her away, it haunted me. She had hinted at fancying me, but it had all gone over my head."

"...What was Hayley like?"

"She was... absolutely beautiful, witty, and funny. I thought that she was daring, adventurous, and the bravest person I had ever met. Hayley seemed to melt my worries just by telling me everything would be fine and solve all of my problems just by smiling at me."

"I hope you don't mind my curiosity about this but how did Hayley die?"

Phoenix winces, as if Josi had slapped him across the face. Josi frowns and says, "Sorry, I was just-"

"No. It's fine. I can tell you. She was-" Phoenix's voice cracks, "...stabbed by an evil spirit who was battling us. By the time I had tried to help Jay to save her, Hayley's soul had been taken by the woman and couldn't be saved."

Josi frowns, "I'm so sorry. I know that sounds really hollow. I should know after dating... David."

"What was David like?"

"He was sweet-"

Phoenix snorts. Josi gives a confused look, "What?"

"...A little cold."

"Oh, okay. Anyway, he was really sweet but always had work. I never minded his work, I just ignored it. After work, he would be tired. We had been together for 3 years before he had been killed. I thought that he was going to propose..."

Phoenix frowns. "How did you both meet?"

"He was on a job sent by a man named Adam-"

Phoenix slams his fist down on the oar. Josi says, "Are you okay?"  
"Bug."

"Oh. Anyway, Adam had sent David to kill one of my friends for some reason. I was trying to protect her. Then, David saw me... and he told me that it was love at first sight," Josi smiles.

Phoenix feels guilt weighing down on him. Josi looks to him and says, "How did you and Hayley meet?"

"We met as runaways from our homes and became very close friends. I thought that we had always had mutual feelings toward each other but she started dating... Adam-"

Josi slams her foot on the raft and says, "That man... he somehow connected us in horrible ways."

"He even tortured me after his death. He came back after death and fought us."

"Wow. You have had some adventures."

"Adventures..."  
"Well, you've had more adventures than anyone I have ever met. The most adventure I've had was dating an assassin and sailing with an assassin as captain."

Phoenix chuckles, "You seem to have a history with dangerous people."

"I seem to find myself attracted to dangerous people," Josi smiles.

"Danger is my middle name."

Josi chuckles. Phoenix smiles. Marigold says, "Now kiss!"

Josi blushes, "What?!"

"You guys are sooo adorable, trying to hide your feelings for each other."

Phoenix coughs, as if he choked on his own slavia, "Marigold!"

"Just stating the obvious, Phoenix."

Phoenix clears his throat and looks toward the direction Marigold was pointing a couple minutes earlier. Marigold floats in front of Josi and mocks her by making kissing faces. Josi's cheeks grow a dark shade of red and she says, "Marigold, I'm not really in the mood."

Phoenix pushes the oar across the water and smiles to himself. Josi looks down at the waters and smiles. Marigold smiles as she looks to Phoenix and Josi and mutters to herself, "Ah, young love..."


	11. Chapter 11

Annabelle strains against the ropes tying her to a jungle tree as the sun starts to lower below the horizon. Two men go behind the tree to tighten the ropes. The man goes in front of Annabelle and says, "Hello, Annabelle."

"_You_."  
"Now, tell me where is your trickster of a friend?"

"She's dead."

"Oh. Well, I guess you're just as good of a tribute."

Jay protests, "You better let her go or I'll tear my way out of this rope and tear YOU limb from limb!"

The man laughs, "Oh, and who is this tough little-"

"I'll KILL you if you call me 'little'. Don't mess with me or Annabelle."

"Fine, I won't mess with you."

The man looks to the men and says, "Get their raft."

Lucas says, "You're letting us go?"

The man laughs, "Are you crazy?"  
The man looks to the men, picks up a lantern, and gives it to one of the men. "Burn it."

Ash protests and strains against the ropes, "WHAT?! You're burning my- I mean our raft?! Just after our ship got attacked by the Kraken!"

The man holding the lantern waits until the other man pulls it closer onto the shore and closer to the group tied to the trees. He then throws the lantern on to the raft. The flames erupt on to the raft and the wind carries the embers so they fall close to Annabelle's feet. The man sees this, removes Annabelle's shoes, and throws them into the water. Annabelle growls, but then yelps as an ember falls onto her foot. Jay growls and strains against the ropes again. Annabelle frantically kicks the ember off of her foot and mutters, "Ow..."

The man goes to the other two men and says, "Let's go get the materials."

The other two men nod and follow the man into the jungles. Jay screams after them, "WHAT MATERIALS!?"

Another ember lands on Annabelle's foot. Annabelle winces and kicks it off. Jay starts to push his feet against the tree and tries to flip off the tree. Lucas says, "Hey, you're choking me!"

Jay says, "Does it look like I care?!"

"WELL, I can't see you!"

"OKAY. DOES IT SOUND LIKE I CARE?!"  
"...No."

"EXACTLY!"

"JUST STOP, I'M GOING TO DIE!"

"I'D RATHER YOU DEAD THAN ANNABELLE HURT!"

"Jay, I'm fine…" Annabelle says.

Jay drops down the tree and says, "Sorry, Annabelle. I'm just..."  
"It's fine."

Lucas says, "I think someone else needs an apology."  
Jay rolls his eyes and says, "I'm _sorry_, Lucas..."

"Thank you."

An ember flies in the air and sits upon Annabelle's shoulder. Annabelle winces. Jay wriggles his hand out of the ropes and tries to find the knot. He finds the knot and tries to untie it, but the knot seems to get tighter. Lucas says, "Hey, I don't know about you, but I'd like to continue breathing, so stop messing with that knot!"

"Hey, I don't know about you, but I'm willing to go through a little pain to get out of here!"

Lucas sighs. "Well, you're not the only one tied to this tree, and one of us isn't comfortable with this idea, so stop!"  
"I'm trying to get us out! You could help, you know."

"Jay! Stop now!"

"Why?"

"Because they're coming back."

Jay groans and puts his work of untying the ropes at a pause. The men come back. Two men are holding jungle wood trunks and the man is holding a bunch of jungle leaves. The two men start to build what looks like an altar. Annabelle asks, "...Are you building an altar?"

One of the men cruelly smiles, "To the mighty goddess Calypso. You shall be our sacrifice to her."

Annabelle widens her eyes. The men finishes the altar and the man spreads the leaves on to the altar. The man then grabs a dagger out of another man's pocket and cuts Annabelle loose. The man tries to pin Annabelle to the tree but Annabelle rips herself out of the ropes and steals the dagger. Annabelle throws the dagger at the ropes ensnaring Jay and Lucas. Jay rips out of the ropes and takes the dagger out of the tree. Jay tackles the man and puts the dagger up to the man's neck. The man turns over and pins Jay to the ground. Another man tackles Lucas and another pins Annabelle to the ground. Ash rips herself out of the ropes and pulls her flintlock out of her pocket, "You forgot someone."

Ash shoots a man in the head, the one who was tackling Jay. Jay throws the dead body off of him and kicks the stomach of the one pinning Annabelle to the ground. While the man is rolling on the ground in agony, Annabelle takes one of the tree trunks from the altar and smashes the person's head. The person who was tackling Lucas tries to put up a fight, but Annabelle smashes the tree trunk against the person. The person's body is thrown into the water. Ash looks to the charred raft and says, "Well, we lost our raft."

Annabelle says, "We could make a raft out of the tree trunks."

"How are we going to hold it together?"  
"Jungle vines."

Annabelle walks over to a tree and grabs a vine. She pulls on it and swings herself around. Suddenly the vine snaps and Annabelle pulls herself off the ground. She walks over to the group and holds out the vine.

Ash stares at her. "That was bloody brilliant! Where did you learn to do that?"

"Josi," Annabelle explained.

"Lucky you learned that from her," Jay said.

Annabelle smiled. The rest of the crew went to grab their own vines. Once they had all the vines, Annabelle started tying the trunks together. Soon enough, the pieces of wood were all wound together. They all got on the raft and saw an arrow in the sand pointing northwest. Jay says, "Maybe we should go that way..."

Annabelle shrugs, "Worth a shot."

Ash pushes the oar off the shore to push the newly-built raft off. The raft starts moving northwest.


	12. Chapter 12

"Marigold, are you sure they found the arrow?" Phoenix asked.

"I'm pretty sure."

"How do you know?"

"It's a huge obvious arrow in the sand. I think they noticed."

"We'll just have to wait and see," Josi said.

Marigold says, "I'll go check on them to... make sure they are going the right direction."

Marigold smiles and disappears. Phoenix looks to Josi out of the corner of his eye. Josi looks at Phoenix out of the corner of her eye and smiles. Phoenix looks away and smiles. Josi says, "How are you?"

Phoenix smiles, "Well, I'm good now."

Josi smiles, "Me too."

Phoenix smiles, but then widens his eyes and says, "Alright! So, umm... When do you think we'll get there?!"  
"Oh! Ummm... I don't really know! What's your guess?!"

"Maybe a couple more days or so!"

"Good!"

The two fall into a tense silence. Josi takes off her shoes to reveal a pair of delicate feet. Phoenix looks to Josi as she wades her feet in the water. Phoenix puts the oar down softly, takes his shoes off, and puts his feet next to Josi's. Josi smiles and taps Phoenix's foot lightly. Phoenix chuckles. Josi smiles and looks at Phoenix. She then starts to lean closer to Phoenix. Phoenix starts to lean closer. Phoenix and Josi's lips lightly touch. After a couple seconds, Phoenix pulls away. Josi smiles and looks at Phoenix. Phoenix says, "What just happened?"

Josi says, "I think we just kissed."

"...We did?"

"We did."

Marigold says, "Oh, you did!"

Phoenix and Josi break away and Phoenix looks behind him to see Marigold sitting with her legs crossed and a smile on her face. Josi says, "Oh bloody-"

Marigold smiles and says, "You really expect me not to see that?"

Phoenix says, "Marigold! Really?!"

Marigold rolls her eyes, "You both can't seriously be mad at me? I am your conscience! I would've known! Seeing it was just a bonus."

Phoenix says, "Oh goodness."

Marigold smiles. Phoenix rolls his eyes and turns his back. He picks up the oar and starts rowing. He hangs his head to look at the water. After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Marigold groans, "FINE. I guess I have to _leave_."

Marigold disappears with a scowl on her face. After a couple more minutes of complete silence, Josi kicks the water around with her feet. Phoenix says, "Uh... sorry-"

Josi asks, "About what?"

"About... that."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"It was just... the heat of the moment..."  
"You and I both know it wasn't just 'the heat of the moment'. I know you don't want to admit it. I'd rather not admit it either. ...But we both know it's there. We can't just pass it by like it's a nonexistent being... We need to acknowledge it. Whether we treat it as if it were a foul creature or an intelligent being is our choice."

"...I know that _it_ is there, but I'd prefer if we just treated it as a being that wishes to be ignored."

"We are dealing with a thing that will not and _cannot _be ignored. It will only grow stronger in ignorance."  
"Considering my luck, you'll be near death and... I won't even be able to save you. And by the time I can save you, you'll be GONE!"

"Phoenix! ...I am not Hayley. I don't need saving. Even if you kill off this tension between us, I won't be anyone's damsel-in-distress!"

"Hayley wasn't a damsel-in-distress either!"

"Then how come she needed _you_ to save her?!"  
"SHE WAS DYING!"

Josi scowls and turns back to the water. Phoenix scowls and rows with more force. Marigold reappears and says loudly, "DID YOU TWO SERIOUSLY HAVE YOUR FIRST FIGHT."  
Josi and Phoenix don't respond. Marigold says, "Well, at least it wasn't about me..."

Phoenix lets out an angry huff to tell Marigold that now wasn't the time for humor. Marigold sighs. "Phoenix, calm down."

"Marigold-"

"No, Phoenix. Calm down. Stop denying. Apologize to Josi."

"Why should I?"

"Because you're not being a very nice companion while you two are alone with each other."  
"Fine." Phoenix turned to Josi. "Josi, I'm sorry."

Josi ignored him.

"Josi?"

"No, Phoenix."

"Josi. I'm sorry."

Josi took a deep breath. "I'm sorry too."

Marigold says, "Alright. We're good now?"

Phoenix and Josi nod. They kept rowing the raft in the direction Marigold pointed. Marigold says, "It'll take about... a day or so to meet up with them."

"Alright."

Marigold says, "Phoenix, I can take the oar if you want."

Phoenix shrugs, "I'm good."

"So… at least we're almost there," Josi said.

"Wait, Marigold, if they're coming towards us as well, does that mean that we'll find them earlier? Or would it be double a day if they weren't rowing towards us?"

"Still a day."

Phoenix sighs. "Fine."

"Hey," Josi said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Marigold visited the other group and everyone's fine!"

Phoenix nodded. "Yeah…" He smiled. Marigold says, "Phoenix, let me take the oar."

Phoenix says, "No, no-"

"Phoenix. Let me take it."

Phoenix sighs and hands Marigold the oar. Marigold takes the oar and smiles, "Thank you, Phoenix."

Phoenix walks away from Marigold and sits down on the raft. Phoenix looks at Josi and smiles awkwardly. Josi flashes a smile back then turns to conceal her blush. Marigold continues rowing and looks up every so often to look if there is any sign of life was nearby. Josi suddenly says, "So, Phoenix."

Phoenix looks to Josi and says, "Yes?"  
Josi asks, "So, do you have any secret talents?"  
"First of all, why are you asking me this? Second of all, aren't secret talents supposed to be secret?"

"It's a way to break the ice," Josi smiles and leans on him. "Plus I want to know."

Phoenix blushes slightly when Josi leans on him. Then, Phoenix looks at Josi and says, "Well..."

Josi says, "Come on! Tell me!"

Phoenix says, "...Fine."

Josi smiles and stares at Phoenix, waiting for a demonstration. Marigold sighs and says, "Josi, he can't give you a demonstration. He's a secret cook."

Josi smiles and says, "Well, that's good. I'm a terrible cook."

Phoenix chuckles, "Alright, now what's your hidden talent?"

Josi sighs and takes a deep breath. Then, she starts to sing with what Phoenix thought was the voice of an angel,

"_To love, to kiss, to sweetly hold_

_For the dancing and the dreaming,_

_Through all life's sorrow's and delights,_

_I'll keep your love inside me"_

Phoenix smiles and says, "That was... amazing."

Josi blushes and looks to him with hopeful eyes, "Really?"

"Yeah..."

Josi smiles and says almost shyly, "Thanks."

The sun slowly set as Phoenix and Josi talk through the night and Marigold smiles while rowing the raft, searching for signs of life.

* * *

**If you understand the song that means you're awesome.**


	13. Chapter 13

Annabelle looked out into the horizon and sighed. "How long will it take to find them?" She wondered aloud. Jay walked up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Soon," he said. "Soon."

Annabelle smiled. "Well, hopefully you're right."

Ash looks out to the horizon and takes off her huge hat to reveal her short blond hair. She then lies on the raft and leans her head back so her hair is immersed in the water. She lies like that for a couple minutes, until Lucas asks with a confused look, "What are you doing?"

Ash rolls her eyes. "What does it look like I'm doing."

"...Washing your hair?"

"No, I'm trying to relax."

"Why do _you_ need to relax?"  
"These have been some particularly stressful months."

Lucas chuckles, "Everyone's been stressed."

Annabelle says, "Jay and I, probably the most."

Ash casually says, "And I'm taking this opportunity to relax. What are you doing?"

Annabelle shrugs and walks beside Ash. Annabelle lies down and lets her hair wade around in the water. Jay smiles as he looks toward Annabelle. Lucas looks to the horizon and rows the raft. Jay sits down on the raft and starts to look at the sky. Suddenly Lucas gasps.

"Is that-?"

Annabelle gets up, squeezing her hair to get the water out. She looks to where Lucas was staring and gasped.

"I think it is!"

Phoenix and Josi were rowing a raft towards them. Ash got up from laying on the raft. "I almost forgot what they look like," she said.

Annabelle rolled her eyes and motioned to Phoenix to hurry. Then finally, after months and months of being separated, everyone was finally reunited.

"Phoenix!" Annabelle greeted. She ran up to him and hugged her brother. "Hi, Josi!" She said. Josi smiled and waved.

Jay greeted Phoenix and Josi as well. Lucas waved to them. Ash did the same.

"Now all we have to do is find the Black Pearl," Phoenix said. Ash groaned.

"More looking? Are you serious?"  
Phoenix didn't know how to respond. Fortunately for him, he didn't have to. Marigold appeared just then and flew closer to Phoenix. "The Black Pearl isn't far. Just keep rowing in that direction," Marigold whispered, pointing to her right.

"We don't have to look for long," Phoenix said to Ash, "the Black Pearl is nearby. We just have to go that way," he finished, pointing in the direction Marigold said to go.

"Well, that's good. Let's get going! Come on people!"

Lucas grabbed their raft's oar and Phoenix grabbed his and Josi's. They rowed their rafts together towards their destination. When the Black Pearl was in sight of the group, Ash said, "Whoever gets there first, wins."

Lucas and Phoenix started rowing faster. Ash smiled. Josi laughed.

The two groups tied getting to the Black Pearl. They climbed onto the boat and left their rafts. When they came aboard, there was no one on deck. Phoenix asks, "I wonder wher-"

Then, Captain Jack bursts out of the captain's quarters with his flintlock in his hand and screams, "I WILL SHO-"

He freezes the minute that he sees that it is Phoenix, Annabelle, and Jay. Captain Jack slowly walks toward them and touches Annabelle lightly on the arm. Annabelle asks, "What are you doing?"

Captain Jack says, "Wondering if this is a hallucination or not."

Jay says, "We're not a hallucination."

Will and Elizabeth come running and Will asks, "Captain Jack, what's going-"

He and Elizabeth see the group. Jay says reassuringly, "We're not a hallucination."

Then, Elizabeth squeals and runs to Phoenix and Annabelle. She embraces the two tightly while saying, "I thought I had lost you two forever!"

When Elizabeth finally releases Phoenix and Annabelle from her embrace, Will walks to Annabelle and Phoenix and embraces them separately, "Thank goodness you came back."

Elizabeth then looks to the others and says, "Who are they?"

Annabelle says while pointing at all of them, "Ash, Josi, and Lucas."

Phoenix says, "They would like to stay here for a while."  
Ash explains, "Our ship was destroyed by the Kraken."

Will nods. Captain Jack says, "Well, welcome aboard."

Ash smiles and says, "Great. So... where's the rum?"

Captain Jack smiles and says, "I like this one."

Ash laughs then says, "But seriously, where's the rum?"

Jack smiles as he leads Ash toward the rum storage room. Josi looks to Phoenix and says, "Can I get that tour now?"

Phoenix smiles and says, "Of course."

Josi takes Phoenix's hand as he leads her around the deck. Elizabeth leans in toward Annabelle and asks, "What was that about? Is there something _romantic_ going on between those two."

Annabelle shrugs, "All I know is that they share a conscious."

"Ah, so they have the same logic."

"No, they literally _share_ a conscious."

"Oh... That's a bit odd."

"I think it means that they're connected."

"Huh. Well, anyway, I'm going to go with your father if either of you need me."

Annabelle smiles and turns to Jay when Elizabeth gets to Will. Annabelle says, "It's good to be back."

Jay smiles and says, "It sure is."

Phoenix leads Josi to the guest room and opens the door. He says, "This is the-"

His mouth drops open when he looks at the bed and sees that Hayley wasn't there. Phoenix froze as he stared at the empty bed. He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved that she wasn't there or sad that she was gone. Josi tugs on Phoenix's arm and worriedly asks, "Phoenix?"

Phoenix's mind starts to fill up with thoughts about Hayley. Thoughts start to swirl around his mind like a pot being stirred. Josi asks again, a little more worried, "Phoenix, are you okay?"

Instead of answering, Phoenix just points at the bed, like a little child seeing a dead animal in the yard. Phoenix then lets go of Josi's hand and runs out of the room. He runs to Elizabeth and Will and asks, "Who threw her overboard."

Will asks, "Who?"  
"YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT."  
Annabelle asks, "Phoenix, what happened?"  
"Someone... threw Hayley overboard."

Josi runs to Phoenix and says, "Pho-"  
Phoenix's voice seethes with anger as he says, "Don't. Touch. Me."

Josi takes his hand and asks, "I just want to know what's wrong."

"Someone on this ship THREW Hayley overboard!"

Will says, "Phoenix. Captain Jack and I threw her overboard. We thought that she was haunting the ship."

Phoenix's face portrayed a mixture of anger, betrayal, pain, and confusion. "Why would you think tha-"

Marigold walks up to Phoenix and says, "Phoenix, I think it was me... I had tricked them into thinking Hayley's spirit was haunting the remains of her body."

Phoenix looks at Marigold and says, "So, _you caused this_."

Josi says while trying to hold Phoenix back, "Phoenix, please don't lash out on her."

Will raises an eyebrow and Elizabeth leans against Will, muttering words into Will's ear. Phoenix runs toward Marigold and screams, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Marigold backs up and says, "Easy there, Phoenix. Beating me up is like punching yourself in the face."

"I don't even care. I don't bloody care," Phoenix falls to his knees. His hair falls in front of his face.  
Josi tries to get Phoenix off the ground, but with every pull, Phoenix becomes heavier and heavier to pull up. Josi kneels down so her eyes meet Phoenix's. Josi says softly while putting her hand on Phoenix's cheek, "Phoenix, I know things are tough... losing Hayley in all. I'm truly sorry for your loss, but you have to... I know how cold this sounds, but you have to move on. You can choose to be in a slump and never continue with your life. You can regret every time you didn't tell her you loved her; you can mourn for every time that she looked into your eyes and you turned away..." Her eyes start to gleam with tears. "If you want to throw your life away because of one girl, fine. Just know that you are throwing away every possibility of a family and future... All I want to do is help you. All I want to do is be a part of your life..." A tear streams down Josi's face. "So please. Listen to me: Hayley is dead and there are people who are very much alive who care about you and... love you."  
Phoenix looks at Josi with bloodshot eyes that seem to be a mixture of pitiful yet angry. Josi leans in and lightly kisses Phoenix. When Josi looks back at Phoenix, he stares blankly back at her, his mind now swirling with thoughts of Josi and Hayley. Josi looks back at him, tears falling down her face. Josi stands up and says with a voice mixed with sadness and anger, "Fine."

Josi slaps Phoenix across the face. Phoenix gives no reaction, as if she was a ghost. Josi walks away, her face red and tears making her face blotchy. Annabelle walks after Josi, who rushes into the guest room. Annabelle sits next to Josi on the bed where Hayley had been. Annabelle puts her hand on Josi's shoulder and says, "It's not you he's mad at."

"I know."

"Just... don't worry about him."

"Why was he such a machine? I poured my heart out to him and I _bloody_ kissed him! What did he do? Stood there and stared at me..."

"Phoenix doesn't know much when it comes to love... even when it's staring straight at him."

"Why is he still so hung up about this girl? I admit, I was in depression when David was kill-"

"Wait, why were _you_ sad about David's death?"

"...David... I... ummm. David and I were..."

"MY BLOODY- You and David were a _couple_?!"

"...Yes."

"HOW IN BLOODY-"

"Please, I've had enough of people screaming today. You know what, I think I'll just go to sleep."

Annabelle says, "Fine," and storms out of the room. Josi puts her head against the pillow and starts to cry. The sun sets and one by one, the crew of the Black Pearl starts to go to sleep, except for Lucas. Lucas walks slowly into the captain's quarters and grabs a piece of paper. He writes shakily with his left hand with a handwriting that isn't his own, "Meet me on the deck when everyone's sleeping. Tell anyone about this and you'll die."


	14. Chapter 14

Josi wakes up, her hair frizzy from tossing and turning and her eyes irritated from crying. She walks out of the guest room slowly. She walks out on the deck and sees Annabelle, Phoenix, Jay, and Ash were all on deck talking and laughing. Josi makes eye contact with Phoenix. Phoenix gives her a look that says, 'Sorry.'  
Josi gives him a look that says, 'Drop dead.'

Josi walks up to the group and says, "Hey, guys."

Annabelle says, "Hey, Josi. Sorry about last night."

"It's cool. ...Where's Lucas?"

"He's hanging out with Jack and my parents."

"Wh-"

"I have no idea."/

Josi laughs and smiles at Annabelle. Phoenix looks at Josi and says, "Can I talk to Josi alone for a second?"

Josi scowls. Phoenix grabs Josi's hand but Josi makes her hand into a claw and digs her nail into Phoenix's hand. Phoenix winces, but holds firmly onto her hand. Phoenix drags her into the guest room and sits her down on the bed. Phoenix says, "Look, I am sorry. I was a pushover to my own emotions. I just... couldn't handle it. I know that I acted as if you had said nothing, but I could hear and feel every word you were saying to me..."

Josi looks at Phoenix and says, "This... that we have has only had ups and downs. One second, we're really up and then we're really down."

"I know. I'm changing that right..." Phoenix puts his hand on Josi's cheek and kisses her. Phoenix smiles when he backs up. He says, "Now."/span/p

Josi smiles. Phoenix gets down on one knee and says, "Josi-"

Josi gives a surprised look and says, "Woah. Woah. Woah. What?"

Phoenix laughs, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Oh... Well then, yes, Phoenix, yes, I will be your girlfriend."

Phoenix smiles. Josi smiles back. Then, Jay walks into the room and says, "Hey, sorry, can I borrow Phoenix for a second?"

Phoenix walks to Jay and says, "What's wrong, Jay?"

Josi gets up and walks out of the room. Jay walks into the room and says, "Phoenix, I needed to ask you this before I... carried on with my idea."\

"What idea, Jay?" Phoenix asks confusedly.

"So... Uh..."

"What's going on?"

"So, Annabelle and I have gotten really close-"

"Jay, where is this going?"

"Umm... Well-"

"Jay..."

Jay takes a deep breath and says quickly, "I-was-thinking-about-proposing-to-Annabelle."

Phoenix stares at Jay, only stopping to blink once every several seconds. Finally, after several minutes, Phoenix says, "You're thinking... of proposing to Annabelle..."

Jay hangs his head and says, "Yes, I am."

"And you'll get married to Annabelle..."

"Yes."

"Then, you both might have kids..."

Jay blushes and says, "Umm..."

"I might be an uncle..."

"Uh..."

Phoenix widens his eyes and asks, "When were you thinking about doing this?"

"Tomorrow night."

Phoenix asks, "Where's the ring?"

Jay pulls it out of his pocket. The ring is simple; it's a silver ring with a decent-sized diamond. Phoenix takes the ring and examines it. Jay says, "It was my mother's..."

"Oh."Phoenix hands Jay the ring and says, "You really love Annabelle?"

Jay nods sincerely. Phoenix nods, "Then you can propose to her. But remember this."Phoenix grabs Jay by the collar and says, "If you ever hurt Annabelle, I will skin you alive."

"I'd rather die than hurt her."

Phoenix lets go of Jay's collar and walks out of the room. He walks back to the group on the deck. Annabelle asks, "What were you and Jay talking about?"

"...Nothing really."

"He looked like it was important."

"We were discussing where we were going."

"Ah." Annabelle rolls her eyes.

Josi and Jay walk up to the group and start talking. Jay puts his arm around Annabelle. Annabelle smiles and leans toward him. Ash asks, "So how long are we allowed to stay on the ship? I don't want to overstay my welcome."

Phoenix answers, "You all can stay as long as you want."

Ash smiles. Jay feels in his pocket for the ring, but the ring isn't in his pocket. Jay takes his arm off Annabelle and says, "I think I left something in the room. I'll be right back."

Annabelle asks, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'm okay! I'll be right back."

Annabelle smiles, "Okay."

Jay smiles and walks to the room. Once he's in the room, he frantically searches for the ring. He then sees the ring on a piece of paper. Jay picks up the ring and suspiciously picks up the paper. He turns it around and it reads, "_Meet me on the deck when everyone's sleeping. Tell anyone about this and you'll die._"

Jay shakes Annabelle who was sleeping. Annabelle groans. Jay shakes her harder and whispers, "Annabelle! Wake up!"

Annabelle groans, "Jaaaay..."

"Annabelle, someone on this ship is going to kill me tonight."

Annabelle stands straight up and says, "What."/

"Maybe it's not that extreme, but I needed to wake you up incase I something happens and I need backup."

"...Okay..."

"You can't come with me, but I need you to be ready for anything, okay?"

"Okay."

Jay kisses her and says, "Wish me luck."

Jay starts to walk casually out of the room, but before he leaves, Annabelle says, "Don't die."/

Jay smiles. "I won't. Don't worry."

Jay walks out of the room and walks onto the deck. He walks to the mast. Then, he hears a voice, "Well, hello. Glad you got my message."

Jay whips around to see Lucas. Jay asks, "Lucas, what are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious, brother?"

Jay asks, "You're my-"

"Yes, I am your brother."

"What do you want, Lucas?"

"I want your help."

"My help for what?"

"I want to take the world as my own."

"No. I refuse to help."

"Fine, suit yourself."

Lucas whispers a spell while pulling a dagger out of his back pocket. Jay tries to move, but he seems incapable of movement. Lucas smiles and says, "Goodbye, brother."

Lucas throws the dagger at Jay and Jay screams, "HELP-"

The dagger pierces Jay's stomach. Jay screams weakly, "Annabelle! Help! Anna-"

Another dagger goes through Jay's heart. Jay limply falls to the ground. Annabelle runs out to see Jay's bloodied corpse. Annabelle screams, "NO! JAY!"

Tears start flowing down Annabelle's face. Annabelle screams, "JAY! COME BACK! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME! JAY!"

Annabelle slaps Jay across the face. Jay starts to disintegrate into ashes. Annabelle grabs Jay's hand as she sees him disintegrate. "Jay, no! JAY, PLEASE! COME BACK! JAY!"

Jay disintegrates into a pile of ashes. Annabelle takes the ashes, "Jay..."

Phoenix runs out to see Annabelle sobbing in front of a pile of ashes. Phoenix runs to Annabelle and asks, "Anna, what's wrong?!"

"He's dead! He- he told me he wouldn't!"

"Who's dead?!"

"Jay!"

Phoenix looks at the ashes and says, "Oh goodness."

Annabelle falls into her brother's arms and starts crying even harder, "Jay..."

Phoenix embraces his sister. His eyes start to fill with tears as he remembers the conversation between him and Jay earlier. "Jay..." he mutters.

Lucas walks through a cell. He finally reaches Jay slumped on a wall. Lucas smiles and says, "You could be useful, Jay."

Lucas takes Jay's hand and chains his hand to the wall. He then takes his other hand and chains it to the wall. Lucas takes both of Jay's feet and chains them to the floor. Lucas smiles and leaves the cell. He slams the iron bar door closed and locks it. Jay's eyes flutter open and he looks around. "Where… where am I?"

Lucas turns to face him. "Where are you? You're away. Far away."

Jay looks at Lucas, confused, as he watches Lucas walk away, laughing.

**~THE END~**


	15. Chapter 15

**I am so sorry.**  
**I am so so sorry.**  
**We had to.**  
**It had to be done.**  
**But hey, look at that. He's not dead.**  
**Sooooooooo, something we really want to say is,**  
**please don't just stop reading because of that last chapter.**  
**Things will get better.**  
**We are currently writing the third segment,**  
**Sorry for the shortness of this one.**  
**I know it's more than ten chapters shorter than the other.**  
**But just think of the third one as kind of part two to part two.**  
**And I promise.**  
**Things will get better.**  
**So, anyway, I hope you liked this one,**  
**for the most part, (yes, i know of the character "death" and all)**  
**But another story is coming, and again I will tell you not to worry because things will get better.**  
**So until next time, enjoy some of the other stories I have :)**  
**See ya!**  
**~sherlockianfangirl**


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